Batiks and baths of flowers in a Bali spa

Mandy Francis

Last updated at 11:50 14 September 2007

As I lay in the enormous, candlelit bath, filled with warm, ylang-ylang scented water, strewn with frangipani flowers, rose petals and tiny magnolias, I felt as glamorous as a pampered Hollywood starlet. And well I might - for X Files star Gillian Anderson, Cindy Crawford and John Travolta had all had their heavily insured physiques buffed in this breathtaking hotel and spa before me.

Nestled among the terraced paddy fields and luscious rainforests of the island, the Four Seasons Sayan is one of the most luxurious places in the world to relax and recharge. My fragrant flower bath was just part of an amazing two-hour spa treatment, based on a traditional Indonesian skin-softening ritual called Lulur.

My therapist began by giving me a full body exfoliation, using a muddy-looking scrub made from pungent turmeric mixed with finely ground rice and fenugreek seeds. She applied the scrub area by area and then allowed the curry-perfumed paste to dry, before massaging it off as fine, dry 'breadcrumbs'.

Then she painted me from head to foot with chilly natural yoghurt. The yoghurt removes any yellow staining left by the turmeric while moisturising and softening the skin. This was then rinsed off under a warm shower, before I was asked to lie in my flower bath for 15 minutes.

Completely relaxed, I was then treated to an hour of Balinese massage (a unique combination of long, firm stroking movements and deep shiatsu pressure to get rid of knots and tension) followed by an application of an exotic floral body lotion and a cup of sweet, cardamom-flavoured herbal tonic.

Balinese women are renowned for their beauty - and although their exquisite looks have more to do with their genetic inheritance than lotions and potions, they believe in maintenance, regularly indulging in a variety of traditional beauty rituals that have been passed down from mother to daughter over centuries.

Many larger resorts on the island have started to tap into these traditions and now offer top-of-the range spa facilities and a broad spectrum of treatments and activities that make creative use of the rich natural resources of the island.

At the Sayan's sister hotel, the Four Seasons beach resort, overlooking the vast, golden, palm-fringed beach of Jimbaran Bay, many spa treatments echo the resort's oceanside location, with bracing sea-salt scrubs, body wraps using banana leaves and luxurious coconut oil balms. And at any of the 11 Mandara spas in a variety of resorts and hotels across the island, you can have your cellulite treated with a scrub made from Balinese coffee grounds and pumice from the sacred Mount Agung - Bali's highest peak and one of several active volcanoes.

But what about the rest of Bali? Despite its popularity as a tourist destination over the past 30 years, particularly with visitors from nearby Australia and Japan, the island remains relatively unspoiled and its gentle, friendly Hindu population true to their powerful cultural influences.

Another big pastime there is shopping. Driving from the airport to the hotel, our car rang with oohs and aahs as we passed roadside stalls selling heavy teak and rattan furniture, intricate basketware, bright batik fabric and stone carvings worth their weight in excess baggage payments.

A few days into our trip, in the covered market in Ubud - a town regarded as the cultural centre of Bali - we bartered for sarongs shot with gold embroidery, hand-painted kites, straw handbags, heavy silver jewellery and fabulous wood carvings, before retiring to the back garden of Cafe Wayan on Monkey Forest Road to sit cross-legged on enormous cushions, eat delicious Indonesian noodle dishes and marvel at how we'd managed to spend so little yet buy so much.

For the adventurous and sporty, there is spectacular diving and snorkelling off the reefs around the island, surfing, elephant-back safaris, mountain biking, jungle trekking, championship golf courses and white-water rafting.My last day in Bali, at the Four Seasons Sayan, started with an early morning yoga and meditation class next to the hotel's stunning rooftop lily pond.

Strolling serenely back towards my villa in my cotton kimono, I heard my name being softly spoken. 'Would you like a lift, Miss Francis?' asked the uniformed electric buggy driver.

I jumped in to be transported past giant palms and riots of tropical flowers to my villa. From my teak sundeck I ordered room service breakfast. I ate the beautiful tropical fruit sitting under a shady parasol, looking out on the fascinating rainforest. If paradise exists, Bali is it.